Tim Larson

This article is about the politician. For the historian, see Timothy Larsen.

Timothy D. Larson (born December 12, 1958) is an American politician from Connecticut.

Tim Larson
Executive Director of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education
Incumbent
Assumed office 2019
Governor	Ned Lamont
Member of the Connecticut State Senate from the 3rd District
In office 2015–2019
Preceded by	Gary LeBeau
Succeeded by	Saud Anwar
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives for the 11th District
In office 2009–2015
Preceded by	Michael A. Christ
Succeeded by	Jeffrey Currey
Mayor of East Hartford
In office 1997–2005
Preceded by	Robert DeCrescenzoa
Succeeded by	Melody Currey
Member of the East Hartford Town Council
In office 1990–1992
Personal details
Born	Timothy D. Larson (1958-12-12) December 12, 1958 (age 66) East Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Relations	John B. Larson (brother)

Early life and education

Larson was born on December 12, 1958, in East Hartford, Connecticut, to Raymond and Lois Pauline Larson.^[1] The youngest of eight children, one of Larson's brothers is politician John B. Larson.^[2] Larson was raised in Mayberry Village and attended East Hartford High School, graduating in 1976.^[3][4][5]

Career

He served on the East Hartford Town Council from 1990 to 1992,^[6] and received the most votes in the 1991 East Hartford Town Council election, but did not contest the 1993 municipal election.^[7] Larson remained active in politics by helping his brother John run his gubernatorial campaign in 1994.^[7] Tim Larson later worked as assistant to East Hartford mayor Robert DeCrescenzo.^[8][9] When DeCrescenzo announced that he would not seek another term in office, both Larson and Henry Genga sought the mayoralty as Democrats.^[10][11] Larson accepted the endorsement of the local Democratic Party in July 1997,^[12] and defeated Genga in a primary that September.^[13][14] Larson then won the November general election against Republican Richard L. Mourey.^[6] Larson faced Bob Fortier in 1999,^[15] and won a third term against Susan Kniep in 2001.^[16] He remained mayor through 2005.^[17]

Larson first sat on the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2008.^[18] He was reelected unopposed from the eleventh district in 2010,^[19] and defeated Thomas Ogar in 2012.^[20] In 2014, Larson ran for the Connecticut Senate seat from the third district.^[21] He retained his seat in 2016, winning 56.4% of the vote against Carolyn Streeter Mirek, deputy mayor of South Windsor.^[22][23][24]

While Larson was reelected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2018, he did not take office for his third term as State Senator, as he was named by Ned Lamont to head the Office of Higher Education despite having never worked in higher education.^[25][26]

On December 26, 2023, Larson was sued in a class action lawsuit along with other employees of the State of Connecticut employees as the result of damages caused to students in his mismanagement of the closure and the unlawful revocation of credits of students from Stone Academy.

For ten years Larson also served as executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport.^[25]